The risk of pregnancy complications is a lot higher after 40, but even getting pregnant can be very difficult, even when in vitro fertilization is involved. Pregnancies that started out with egg donations are also becoming increasingly common, but Hollywood stars don’t really talk about that.
Take a look at some of the biggest celebrities who got pregnant after 40, and find out if they decided to share any details about the experience or decided to keep everything private.
Halle Berry
After giving birth to her daughter Nahla at the age of 41, Halle Berry simply explained that she waited a long time to become a mother, but didn’t mention any fertility treatments or complications. When getting pregnant again at 46, she insisted that the baby was conceived naturally and a complete surprise.
“I thought I was kind of past the point where this could be a reality for me. So, it’s been a big surprise and the most wonderful,” Berry told CNN.
Salma Hayek
One of the many celebrities who got pregnant after 40, Salma Hayek was open about her worries that she had postponed it for too long. “It’s a little nerve-racking to wait that long, but it’s the best time… because you’ve done so many other things in your life. You just get it out of your system, and you can really relax into being a mother (…) I thought I was going to have to work really hard at getting pregnant because of my age, but then I just got pregnant,” she told Oprah.
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Laura Linney
After getting married for a second time at 45, Laura Linney finally became a mother at the age of 49. The actress managed to keep her pregnancy secret, which raised rumors about using a surrogate mother.
Mariah Carey
Giving birth to twins at the age of 42, Mariah Carey posed for many photoshoots while pregnant. Unlike other celebrities who got pregnant after 40, she kept her fans up to date on every detail, including her attempts to delay the birth. “Holding those twins in – you have to keep them in as long as possible. It’s a sacrifice you make for them. Literally I was like, 47-weeks pregnant,” she explained during an appearance on HSN.
Beverly D’Angelo
Five years into her relationship with Al Pacino, Beverly D’Angelo gave birth to twins at the age of 49, while the father was 65 at the time. The two were always private about their relationship, but they continued to co-parent after breaking up 2 years later.
Nicole Kidman
Even though she had adopted two children with ex-husband Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman became one of the celebrities who got pregnant after 40. She gave birth to a daughter at the age of 41 after a “rollercoaster ride with fertility,” but when she decided she wanted another child with husband Keith Urban, the two had their second daughter via surrogate.
Holly Hunter
The reason why many celebrities in their 40s have twins is usually in vitro fertilization, but Holly Hunter never discussed any specifics about her children. In fact, after giving birth to twins at the age of 47, the only information she released was the names of her two boys: Claude and Press.
Geena Davis
Few celebrities who got pregnant after 40 decided they’re up for it for a second time, but Geena Davis had a son at the age of 46, then twins at the age of 48. Even though she gained a lot of weight for both pregnancies, Davis wasn’t afraid to show off her baby bump on the red carpet.
See also: 10 Style Tips for New Moms
Susan Sarandon
After giving birth to a daughter at the age of 38, Susan Sarandon had two more late pregnancies in her 40s. She gave birth to two sons, one at the age of 43 and one at 46. She recently became a grandmother at the age of 67.
Brooke Shields
After struggling with in vitro fertilization to become a mother at the age of 37, Brooke Shields had lost hope for a second child. Even though her first pregnancy only became a reality after six rounds of vitro fertilization, the actress joined the list celebrities who got pregnant after 40 when she conceived naturally, and had a second daughter. Shields was also open about her struggles with postpartum depression, which affected her after giving birth for the first time.
